who we are
a design-led social impact organisation
1to1 refers to a scale of approach toward design with, not for, people of South Africa; a scale of engagement that reflects human centered-values in its approach and actions, a scale of reflexive practice that recognises why we are is as important as who we are in our work; it is a scale of action that guides ideas and strategies actioned at a grass-roots scale to affect city-wide and national spatial change.
1to1 is pushing to expand the role of design in regards to spatial justice for South African cities.
what we are
a socio-technical social enterprise
1to1 – Agency of Engagement is a nonprofit social-enterprise that seeks to support the forces that are positively and systematically shaping the way that Southern African cities are seen, made & managed towards a spatially just future.
who we are
All those who have operationally worked with or for 1to1 are acknowledged for their contribution to the work of the organisation and our collaborators in Our Story.
1to1 COMMUNITY FACILITATORS
Julia Phora
Itumeleng Tlokotsi
Busiswa Tsbiyana
Dumisani Mathebula
Balungile Mntaka
Percy Masango
Florence Gule
Noluthando Geja
Sibongile Gule
1to1 OPERATIONS TEAM
Operations Director
WHAT WE DO
SUPPORT GRASS ROOTS ENTITIES
We provide socio-technical spatial design support and building services to groups of people looking to overcome their challenges in relation spatial inequality.
BUILD SOCIO-TECHNICAL CAPACITY IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
We are committed to build deeper socio-technical capacity in the both the professional and non-professionalised sectors of the Built Environment through our service activitees.
CO-DEVELOP SPATIALLY JUST PROCESSES
We develop socio-technical structures, tools and methods that are aimed to affect large scale systemic change at a grass-roots level.
ADVOCATE FOR SPATIAL JUSTICE IN OUR CITIES
We are working to directly engage with the negative stigmas, biases and social conditioning that perpetuates Spatial Inequality in our cities.
1to1 case studies
UISP ROAD MAP
The UISP Road Map Tool is currently our clearest example of how we are co-developing Spatially Just process in South African cities.
CRITICAL PRACTICE
Our Teaching & Training work through the Critical Practice Programme at Universities and Professional Bodies best demonstrates how we are building deeper socio-technical capacity in the Built Environment
Asivikelane CAMPAIGN
Our work with the Asivikalane Network provides a clear demonstration of our Advocacy work in relation to Spatial Inequality.
SLOVO PARK
Our work with Slovo Park began in 2010, and is one of our most grounded examples of Socio-Technical Design Support.
OUR ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Geci Karuri-Sebina is a Johannesburg-based scholar-practitioner who mainly works on urban planning and governance issues. She is currently currently an Associate of South African Cities Network, Visiting Research Fellow with the Wits School of Governance, and National Organiser of the Civic Tech Innovation Network in South Africa. She is also a Global Faculty member of Singularity University. Geci’s experience and interests span a range of development foresight, policy, innovation and practice topics, particularly relating to cities and local systems. She has two decades’ experience working and publishing in these fields.
Aditya Kumar is the Executive Director of DAG. Previously, Adi worked as the Deputy Director at Community Organisation Resource Centre. Over the last fifteen years, he has worked on post disaster, post conflict and informal settlement upgrading across the world. His practice focuses on inter-sectoral partnerships, strengthening community action and housing policy.
Lebogang Luvuno A passion for transformation and socio-economic development has led Lebogang to work with a range of companies from large multi-nationals to smaller local companies (first as an employee and then as a consultant). Lebogang also has experience in the NPO sector, having been involved in several projects that focused primarily on youth development over the past fifteen years. Lebogang’s company, Motopi Consulting, has impacted 2 million lives in its 8 years of operation
Jhono Bennett is a co-founder of 1to1 and is currently enrolled at the Bartlett School of Architecture as a doctoral candidate in the TACK / Communities of Tacit Knowledge: Architecture and its Ways of Knowing network. In addition, Jhono is an Ashoka Social Entrepreneurship Fellow as well as an Alumni of the Mandela Washington Young (MWF) African Leadership Initiative (YALI) Fellowship. Jhono led 1to1 in its first iteration as a non-profit entity from 2012-2019, and now supports the organisation as an advisor.
Want to volunteer?
1to1 has a long tradition of supporting those who would like to enter or get involved in this field of work as interns, volunteers or project specific work contracts.
Want to work with us?
1to1 is always open to work with new collaborators and partners across academic, civil, private or governmental sectors.
Grass-roots entities are welcome to contact us to discuss support.